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most hackers are already anarchistic and or libertarians so it isn't surprising that we think Ayn Rand is bullshit. We're already individualistic and questioni
by nazgulnarsil 19y ago
most hackers are already anarchistic and or libertarians so it isn't surprising that we think Ayn Rand is bullshit. We're already individualistic and questioning of the status quo. But for people whom aren't like this Ayn Rand can be an important author to read. For example women tend to be more caring and communal instead of selfish and rational. It doesn't surprise me that successful business women really like Atlas Shrugged. They need to hear a justification for the pursuit of selfish aims moreso than a libertarian does.
The things that hit close to home but are slightly off bother people a lot more than things from left field. evangelical christians touting their creationist museum bothers me more than muslims beating women, even though the latter is worse. The evangelicals are in my backyard. Likewise libertarians are bothered by Rand because she espouses some of our ideals but horribly twists others.
- as 19y agoCan you elaborate on the differences?
- mattmaroon 19y agoHackers are more liberal than libertarian. Rand embodies libertarianism. I assume that's what you meant?
- nazgulnarsil 19y agowhat definition of liberal and libertarian are you going on?
- mattmaroon 19y agoI don't know of a definition of libertarian that Ayn Rand doesn't fit into. Technically she was an objectivist and spoke out against the anarchist libertarians, who are mostly gone from the movement now. By today's standards she'd be a true libertarian.
- nazgulnarsil 19y agoAyn Rand was a strict Laissez-Faire capitalist while libertarian political ideology encompasses a broader swath of positions on government regulation. Anarcho-libertarians believe in the totally free market while more moderate libertarians believe that the primary purpose of governmnet is as an intermediate between an individuals natural rights and the repercussions of the free market (externalities).
- mattmaroon 19y agoGo ahead and Google "Ayn Rand libertarian". You'll see quotes immediately like "Russian-born Ayn Rand (1905-1982) brought more people into the libertarian movement than anybody else." Also from her Wikipedia bio "Rand is considered one of the three founding mothers (along with Rose Wilder Lane and Isabel Paterson) of modern American libertarianism" Rand was too intelligent to be an anarchist.
- nazgulnarsil 19y agoI think I get what you're saying. Rand was a minarchist in most senses. The waters of libertarianism are very muddied.Just browsing wikipedia you get liberalism, libertarianism, calssical conservativism, capiatl L Libertarianism, minarchism,and calissical liberalism. and the terms mean different things internationally.
- nazgulnarsil 19y agoalso this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism_and_Objectivism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism_and_Objectivism
- mattmaroon 19y agoI love how I somehow get downmodded for pointing out a relatively simple fact.